Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $605 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,053 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,500 in Wote, rent included.

Medellin costs about 171% more than Wote, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Wote is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$3.04 KES 393

164.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$34.98 KES 4,523

38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.05 KES 783

55.70%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$1.51 KES 196

94.70%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.41 KES 52.4

353.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.22 KES 28.36

563.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$2.22 KES 287

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.38 KES 307

139.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$0.75 KES 97.5

92.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$0.54 KES 69.4

344.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.45 KES 187

17.24%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$1.38 KES 178

109.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$4.71 KES 609

113.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.25 KES 808

59.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$5.71 KES 738

148.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.34 KES 432

19.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.05 KES 136

50.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$2.05 KES 265

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$0.61 KES 78.6

277.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$0.52 KES 67.6

284.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$1.09 KES 141

38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$0.68 KES 87.4

76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.55 KES 71.7

132.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.42 KES 443

12.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.60 KES 1,500

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.23 KES 289

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$2.74 KES 354

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$1.51 KES 195

-13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$1.52 KES 196

42.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$2.96 KES 383

180.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.58 KES 205

-13.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$20.7K KES 2.7M

33.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$19.5K KES 2.5M

87.48%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$169 COP 519.5K

$60.2 KES 7,782

180.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$15.48 KES 2,001

-12.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$35.70 KES 4,616

-20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.61 KES 984

-12.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$803 COP 2.5M

$157 KES 20.4K

410.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-19.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$11.81 KES 1,527

639.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$7.93 KES 1,025

648.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$19.32 KES 2,499

619.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$23.05 KES 2,980

342.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$383 KES 49.6K

179.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$192 KES 24.9K

239.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$759 KES 98.2K

153.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$572 KES 74.0K

83.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.71

-25.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Wote: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $383 in Wote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Wote. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $174 – making Wote the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 171%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $908 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Wote. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wote. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.